Join Us for Two Free Workshops! Thriveworks Counseling in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will be hosting two free workshops in August 2015 — one on parenting and the other on addiction. Both workshops will be held at our office, located at 4079 Park East Court SE, Suite C. Directions: Take the Cascade Exit (40A) and turn […]

My 15 year old daughter, has had three role models in her life: Hannah Montana, Taylor Swift and, now, Lana Del Ray. I say “Hannah Montana” (and not Miley Cyrus) because this was when she was a sweet actress/singer who played a double role similar to the role played by Patty Duke in The Patty […]

Living with a tween can be much like being at a “hair band” rock concert; power love ballads intermixed with angry, head banging, guitar smashing rock. As their moods swing rapidly from love and adoration to hate and contempt, it can be quite a sight! Their view on the world they live in is beginning […]

TRANSCRIPT: My name is Kate Elenbaas, I’m a new therapist here at Thriveworks Counseling and Coaching here in Grand Rapids. I’m very excited to be a part of th te team here. I got my LMSW from Western Michigan University, and I’m also a certified, advanced addiction drug counselor here in town as well. Like […]

Thriveworks Counseling in Grand Rapids, Michigan TRANSCRIPT: My name is Rebecca Nelson and I’m a licensed master social worker. I’ve had the pleasure of working with kids and families for the last thirty years, dealing with a variety of situations and issues. I think that it is most important and most effective to look at […]

Q&A on Firstborn Parenting 1. What are some typical behaviors of the oldest child? Oftentimes, oldest children tend to be driven and ambitious. In addition, they can have a strong sense of responsibility, along with a healthy amount of self-confidence. 2. How does an oldest child tend to interact with siblings? When interacting with siblings, […]

The Princess Culture Effect As the parent of two girls, I have had my share of princess things in my house. The movies, the dress- up clothes, the dolls, the books, the shoes, pink, pink and more pink, plus countless things with glitter! I was faced with the challenge of raising well-rounded, confident, kind and […]

Tolerance is a Learned Practice 1. Model inclusive behavior. Until age 7, what kids hear and see from their caretakers is more important to children than what they personally experience. Be careful with your words, even with seemingly innocent jokes or stereotypical references. Let your children see you interact positively with people from a variety […]

The Three Most Important Things You Need To Know 1. Start Young — Don’t Underestimate Your Child Raising a child in an environment that consistently models respectful communication is essential. From the moment you bring your precious cherub home from the hospital, it is important to continue to practice and/or to introduce respectful standards of […]

My 15 year old son has ADHD. We’ve known this since he was about 4 years old. From daycare through middle school I have received a steady stream of “naughty boy” reports from his backpack. Here are some excerpts (Daycare “Incident Report”): — “We were doing a group activity; reading and acting out an action […]

About Depression Simply defined, depression means feeling depressed. It’s a feeling, not a limiting character trait (although it can CERTAINLY feel like the latter). It can wear the face of Sylvia Plath or Kurt Cobain — the brilliant artist going out in a blaze of self-destruction. Depression can also be the 6th grade bully who’s […]

Thriveworks Birmingham Counseling Can Help Boost Your Parenting Chops Parenting the Love and Logic Way Classes Begin January 7 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Designed by the Love and Logic institute and taught by licensed psychotherapists, Parenting the Love and Logic Way is a course designed to give Michigan parents like you the practical skills that […]

Find Calm Amid Holiday Chaos The Holiday Season is a time for good cheer and merriment! Or is it? For many, the mention of Hanukkah, Christmas, or New Year’s brings as many winces as it does smiles. The fact is, the holiday season can be as much a burden as it is a celebration—and the […]

TRANSCRIPT: Hi. I’m Twilynn Jourdain, a licensed psychotherapist here at Thriveworks, and I’d like to speak with you about effective communication in relationships. We all know how important relationships are, and the key to having strong, positive relationships is our ability to communicate effectively our feelings, our thoughts and our needs. So I’d like to […]

TRANSCRIPT: Hi, I’m Lisa Shankman, a therapist here at Thriveworks. As a parent and therapist that’s worked with many families, I’ve found one of the most important things for families is building a really positive emotional connection. I’ve identified a few different things that really help facilitate that connection, especially between parents and children, and […]

As part of a wider series, we will be discussing different elements of counseling and coaching practices. Michael Pilcher, owner of Thriveworks Knoxville and Thriveworks Bristol Counseling and Coaching, talks about the kind of work he does as a professional counselor, and, specifically, independent mental health evaluations and navigation of the civil and family law […]

Lynchburg, VA Counselor’s thoughts on Timberlake Christian School and Sunnie Kahle Story By all appearances Sunnie Kahle seems to be a wonderful, well-rounded, and well adjusted child. She has received straight A’s at Timberlake Christian School. The administration at Timberlake Christian School may need a lesson in human development. An 8-year-old child hasn’t hit puberty […]

It’s hard to deny that we are in the middle of an epidemic. According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than tripled﻿ in the past 30 years, and in 2010, 1 in 3 children (including adolescents) were overweight or obese. Moves have been made to curtail this phenomenon, but what is it that politicians and parents are missing? The answer is a culprit.

My name is Alicia Potts and I have two sons (ages 8 and 4) with autism. When my older son, Nicholas, was two we noticed he was not talking. The doctors told us he could just be a late talker and to see how the next six months went. Six months later, there was still […]

Do you and your loved ones need to keep in touch? We don’t like to be touched. You’ve probably heard the term “personal space” and “bubble” being thrown around by friends and strangers. At the same time, we’re all obsessed with the energy of touch, even if we don’t realize it. Affection, for one thing, […]

No parent wants to be the un-fun parent. But sometimes, being un-fun means that you are being protective. Unsupervised children online, like in life, have a greater likelihood to experiment with risky behaviors. The hard reality for parents is that supervising your kids’ online activities can be extremely difficult, not to mention tricky. It was […]

What are ways to help kids become bully-proof during childhood? Bullying isn’t going anywhere in the foreseeable future. It’s an unpleasant reality that almost every single one of us has faced and will face at every age, but children are especially vulnerable. Helping a child cope with bullies can be a very tricky and delicate […]

Tis the Season. Turkeys and Holly, family and friends, Chaos and Loudness continues; no ends. Excitement and running and joy and play, Can make for an OVERWHELMING day! I realize I will not be getting a prize anytime soon for my poetry writing skills! It’s just a fun way to introduce the dichotomy of the […]

Let’s face it- video games are here to stay. With the next generation of consoles about to come out, it’s a great time to review a few ways to make gaming a positive addition to your family, rather than a negative one. 1. No gaming before bed. This includes the adults, too. Research shows that […]

Bullying has caused far too much pain, taken too many lives through violence and suicide. As we try to understand the depth of hurt this can cause, I would first like you to try and put yourself in a child’s shoes for a minute. Let me disclose with you an account from an 11-year-old’s life, […]

Parenting in the 21st Century is not for the weak of heart. The birth of new technologies in the 20th Century was supposed to make our lives easier and provide more time for family, personal interests, or just to relax. Instead, the pace has picked up. Work demands have become more hectic. Our schedules are […]

When we think about kids and social media, our minds sometimes go to Facebook almost instantly. I’ve talked to a lot of parents in recent years who consider Facebook to be the face of social media, so their strategy for regulating it for their kids usually hinges on whether or not the child has a […]

The New Reality for School I love the beginning of fall. School has just begun, with all of the excitement and anticipation it brings. It is like the children’s version of New Year’s Eve, but with all of their promises and resolutions for the new school year. While many of us remember the initial first-day-of-school […]

Surviving Back To School For parents, sending the kids back to school can be quite a relief (or even a time of joy), but it’s definitely not that way for the kids. Here are some ways you can make the experience actually fun and enriching for them. 5. Get your shopping done early For some […]

A recent beef recall here in the United States has sparked discussion among “meatatarians” like myself concerning what we’re really putting into our bodies when it comes to beef, chicken, and pork. Luckily, we are privileged to live in a time when responsible brands that sell healthy meats are far more plentiful and accessible than […]

One of my earliest memories of being bullied happened at a sleepover with my friend Chad. We were outside playing in a sandbox. Living in a small town, we had friends who lived within walking distance. Before long, two neighbor kids joined us. But they didn’t want to play in the sand. Instead, I found […]

Ever wondered why teens just can’t seem to follow rules within the family? I find that parents bring their teens into therapy feeling very frustrated and confused as to why their son or daughter seems to not be able to follow simple rules. Some parents come in saying, “No matter how many times you tell […]

What is a millennial? This generation consists of individuals between the ages of 18 and 33. These days, millennials are typically seen as upbeat individuals who are confident and technologically savvy. Unfortunately, that perception doesn’t hold up to the reality of what this generation is really experiencing. Going through the data, few contest that millennials […]

Redirecting ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD); strategies for parents and caregivers to use between Counseling sessions to improve the effectiveness of therapy without the use of medication or combined with medication management. As an a Professional Counselor, I have been providing individual and family therapy services for many children […]

Life Lessons from an Amusement Park As we approached the ride’s bright red, blue, and yellow sign – promising we would experience thrills and amazement – the wait time counter moved from 30 to 50 minutes. We took a few moments to decide if it would be worth our wait and quickly jumped into the […]

You Can Thrive. We Can Help.

What Others Have To Say About Thriveworks

“You guys do great work and I appreciate being able to talk through my feelings here.”
— Community Book, Cambridge, MA

“This place helped save my life. Thank you more than words can express.”
— Community Book, Cambridge, MA

“It’s now my second time here … My first visit was really helpful; I was able to take home a lot out of my visit … Looking forward to my next visit. Everyone is very professional and helpful.”
— Community Book, Cambridge, MA

“It’s so good to have someone to objectively listen and help us solve our problems, work on our characters, and get us to actually think about what we do and why! Thanks Thrive Folks! Your work is changing the world — one starfish at a time!”
— Community Book, Cambridge, MA

“Thrive is a great place and my counselor is amazing. I am very grateful I have found this place and I have recommended it to friends. Thank you!”
— Community Book, Cambridge, MA

“This is such a warm and friendly place and I am extremely happy that I found you guys. Thank you for providing such a supportive environment!”
— Community Book, Cambridge, MA

“Thrive is a wonderful place to get help with organizing my thoughts. Whenever I am here I feel more and more centered and forward.”
— Community Book, Cambridge, MA

"The advice you gave me about navigating bullying dynamics in the workplace has really worked for me. Sam has been the coach I have needed!"
— Community Book, Cambridge, MA